GREEN: Memories of Galaxy's success might seem far, far away, but there could be new hope

By virtually any measure, 2010 was one of the finest seasons in Galaxy history.

The club finished atop the regular season standings for only the third time ever with a dominant 18-7-5 record that yielded 59 points, the third-most in MLS history.

Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was a rock between the posts.

His 0.90 goals against average was a new club record, his 11 regular-season shutouts tying a club record.

Striker Edson Buddle was a worthy club MVP, scoring a career-high 17 goals in 25 regular-season games while rebounding from 2009 when he played the fewest number of games since his rookie year.

And yet, the Galaxy's season is done.

Sunday's surrender to a younger, faster, more mobile FC Dallas backstopped by inspired former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman clinically exposed the Galaxy's flaws, as much as the win over Seattle the previous week had underscored the team's strengths.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena succinctly summed up his team's shortcomings after the 3-0 playoff loss in front of a capacity crowd.

"We have no excuses," he said. "We were outplayed. We were certainly in position in the first half to get a lead and maybe take control and failed on that. ... We were outplayed, we were beat on most matchups on the field and we were out coached. Dallas deserved the victory."

Here then are four things the Galaxy needs to do as Arena reloads in the off-season:

Get less predictable.

Buddle and Landon Donovan scored 24 of the club's 44 regular season goals between them. No other player scored more than four.

In midfield David Beckham whips in virtually all the most dangerous crosses - and takes virtually all the corners and free kicks, too - and invariably aims for Buddle's head because there is no other target.

Arena surrounded himself with veteran, known quantities and that saw the Galaxy get off to the fastest start in club history (10-0-2).

But other clubs found their feet and caught up to the Galaxy, then figured out how to stop L.A. as the season wore on.

Seattle knew how to beat L.A., but just wasn't good enough; Dallas knew how to beat L.A. and was good enough.

The Galaxy must mix it up more. The familiar weapons are all too familiar.

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That doesn't mean running all over the place with no purpose. That means making the ball do the work for you with combinations of short, sharp passes.

Dallas had that figured out Sunday.

Everyone knows everything Dallas does goes through playmaker David Ferreira. But he's no ball hog. In fact, his success lies with his on-field anonymity, his ghosting ability to elude markers and play to the strengths of the players around him.

In contrast, the Galaxy's big stars - Donovan, Beckham, and Buddle - demand their teammates play to their strengths. That's fine when they're on form, not so much when they're not.

Where was rookie midfielder Michael Stephens on Sunday, ever-present for the Galaxy early on in the season, but largely absent during the latter stages of the year? And Sean Franklin's speed and attacking instincts are more suited to a wide midfield role, but become a defensive liability when he's stuck playing full back.

And let's not forget that statue-like defense we saw Sunday, either. Central defender Omar Gonzalez still has to learn how to read the game and anticipate better.

There's a dilemma here for Arena though. At age 37, Gregg Berhalter is the Galaxy's slowest defender, but he's also the most experienced. Perhaps it's no coincidence his eight-game absence late in the season coincided with the Galaxy's drop off in form.

But regardless, Gonzalez needs an experienced head alongside him whether it's Berhalter in 2011 or another veteran.

Get a goalscorer.

Mike Magee, as he proved over and over, is not an out and out striker.

Donovan is more suited to a withdrawn role, not as an attacking partner as was demonstrated (again) Sunday when Arena moved him up top and he promptly vanished.

One can argue a lack of another attacking threat has cost the Galaxy a trophy two seasons in a row.

Arena was asked Sunday whether that cost the Galaxy the game and he said he didn't think it would have made much of a difference in this case. He's wrong.

The Galaxy can't wait around forever for Ronaldinho to make a decision whether to come to MLS or not. Sign him or look elsewhere. Goals change games, a consistent goal scorer changes a team.

Dump David.

Yeah, I said it. At $6.5 million a year the Galaxy should be getting a bigger return from a player who has annually started only about 10 games - one-third of a season - over the first four years of his five-year contract.

Moreover, Beckham's immobility and predictability (seeabove) are just exacerbating some of the Galaxy's fundamental weaknesses.

Seattle got rid of Freddie Ljungberg and became a better team. New York hopes to do the same without Juan Pablo Angel. Designated players are not sacrosanct, especially if they're more valuable to the marketing department than the coach.